Lookatvietnam – In the golden age of cai luong (reformed theatre) and tuong (classical drama), actors were so busy with constant performances that they didn’t have enough time to learn the whole script. Instead, prompters hidden behind the curtain fed actors their lines.

Flight: Artists from the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theatre perform a My Chau play.

Prompting in the past

“Before, prompting was not just a job but an integral part of any cai luong or tuong troupe. There were no professional prompters. Instead, apprentices of the troupe often worked as prompters to accustom themselves to acting before they were cast on stage,” said Tan Nguyen, head of the Truc Giang Troupe.

“No play could be done without prompting,” artist Le Thuy says.

“Prompting is a part of the art. Indeed, prompters should understand the rhythm and context of the play; they had to learn dialogues from different roles to prompt many actors on the stage and even tell actors how to dance or sing.”

Opera prompters are traditionally housed in a small pit at the edge of centre stage, just above the orchestra pit. They are visible to the performers but not to the audience. While they used to sweat it out in their small wooden box for the lengthy performances, technology has brought advances like air conditioning and small display screens to support their work.

Tan Nguyen’s Truc Giang Troupe ran into unusual circumstances during one performance in 1978 when the lead actor was unable to go onstage. The show had been sold out and a replacement had to be found immediately. Nguyen invited actor Thanh Liem from another troupe to perform the role. A prompter from the Truc Giang Troupe also took a small part in the play in order to prompt the main actor from the stage.

“It was really difficult to prompt traditional tunes and dialogues, but Liem was incredibly quick-witted,” Nguyen says.

Liem and the prompter worked together to make the performance a success. The audience didn’t even realise that the leading actor had never looked at the script.

“Good prompters can speak the script loud enough for the actors to hear, but the audience won’t know of their existence behind the curtain,” says artist Le Thuy.

Learning the roles like the back of their hands, prompters often act as understudies when actors fall sick or cannot perform.

Prompter Thanh Phu of the Kim Chung Troupe received a heaven-sent gift in 1966 when the lead actor Thanh Hai fell ill. The director couldn’t find a replacement in time so Phu went onstage and gave an excellent performance, which paved his path to fame.

Modern times

In modern times, audiences have many leisure activities to choose from. Cai luong and tuong performances are no longer as popular as they used to be, so many prompters have abandoned their trade. This shortage has caused a demand for talented prompters.

Ngoc Bich is a prompter at the Tran Huu Trang Theatre in HCM City, but she is constantly busy with performances on different stages.

While prompters used to work only in cai luong and tuong, now, they often prompt actors in comedies and a vast array of stage arts.

Minh Dat is just a novice prompter, but he has been offered so many shows that he often has to refuse because he just doesn’t have the time.

“Actors now seem to be lazier than the previous generation,” he says. “They depend on prompters instead of working hard.”

Prompters across the board agree that their profession is hard work.

“In the yellow light, I strain my eyes to read the scripts to prompt actors, cry myself hoarse so the actors can hear my voice over the music,” Dat says.

“When a prompter puts words into five actors’ mouths, she may be exhausted after two-hour performance,” says Bich.

Although prompting is a well-paid job, only a few amateur artists choose the work. Whenever professional actors are desired by the audience, they still need prompters. However, actors shouldn’t depend on prompters. They have to learn and practice their roles to understand their character’s inner feelings and the play’s context, said artist Le Thuy.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News